Public maintain that legal aid is vital as more firms are forced to drop contracts

Almost nine out of ten members of the public believe that legal aid is vital to ensuring that people get access to specialist advice, Law Society research has suggested - in the same week that the Legal Services Commission (LSC) revealed yet another drop in the numbers of firms holding contracts.

The poll of 1,000 people by researchers ICM showed that 88% of respondents believed the government should provide adequate legal aid funding, with 34% saying priority should be given to civil cases.

Almost half - 48% - said crime and civil cases should get equal treatment, while the remainder said criminal cases were most important.

Law Society chief executive Janet Paraskeva said the results contrasted with the 'advice gaps' caused by cuts of some 90 million to the civil legal aid budget between 1999 and 2002.

'For example, if you live in Kent and face housing problems, the nearest legal aid solicitor is in Sussex or in London,' she said.

'Justice, fairness and social inclusion are all goals which this government has long championed.

Legal aid is a test case which will provide the government with the opportunity to translate rhetoric into reality.'

Launching its annual report, the LSC revealed an overall fall in civil contracts of 5% in 2002/2003 to 5,061, along with a smaller drop of 0.5% in crime to 2,900.

It expressed particular concerns about the future of the family supplier base but highlighted a climb across the board in the average cost per civil case, with family and social welfare in particular seeing rises of 16%.

The LSC said the rises were 'not sustainable' at existing funding levels without a 'serious impact' on future contracts and the number of people that could be helped.

It also expressed concern over a rise from 130 million to 174 million in the cost of immigration work.

The report raised fears that in some rural areas 'it would become increasingly difficult to maintain coverage at the level we consider necessary' if more criminal firms dropped out.

Paula Rohan